A preliminary study in JAMA Internal Medicine reported that older women in Spain who ate a traditional Mediterranean diet enhanced with extra-virgin olive oil were less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. The breast cancer study was bootstrapped onto a landmark clinical trial in Spain called Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea (PREDIMED). In 2013, the first results […]
Dieters who go vegetarian not only lose weight more effectively than those on conventional low-calorie diets but also improve their metabolism by reducing muscle fat, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. The study was conducted by the researchers at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington DC. […]
As a scientist myself, it is bothersome to see misconceptions going around without a solid scientific base. “Saturated fat” has long been blamed for the increase of the cardiovascular disease—and it turned out that trans-fat, a compound produced in mass through the commercial production in order to stabilize vegetable oil for the sake of modern […]
There is mounting evidence that a diet containing omega-3 fatty acids not only helps prevent cardiovascular disease but may also help prevent depression. New research has shown that increasing omega-3 consumption reduces incidence of neurological and immune disorders. The relation of omega-3 fatty acids — mainly DHA (docosahexaenoic acid and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) — and […]
Many people experienced weight re-gain after a big weight loss. Research shows that only one in six people could maintain even 10 percent of their weight loss long-term. The phenomena remained to be an enigma until researches showed that weight loss often triggers a dramatic decrease on the rate at which people burn calories (i.e., […]
We love sodas. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost one-third of Americans drink at least one sugar-laden soda or other sweetened drinks every day. We love the cool and sizzling sweet taste of the soda, which comes mostly from “high fructose corn syrup,” a main sweetening ingredient in soda drinks. […]
In the previous post, we learned about the brain-gut-skin theory proposed by two dermatologists, John Stokes and Donald Pillsbury, in 1930s. Here is the gist of the theory: stress produces stress hormones, which leads to low acid production in your stomach, which leads to the changes in your gut microbiota population, which leads to local […]
Gut microbiota is the name given today to the microbe population living in our intestine. Our gut microbiota contains tens of trillions of microorganisms, including at least 1000 different species of known bacteria with more than 3 million genes (150 times more than human genes). Microbiota can, in total, weigh up to 2 kg. One […]
You must have noticed that your acne tends to flares up around stressful times—before a big test, a big meeting or during travel. Often, the skin problems are accompanied with bowel movement problems. I have experienced the phenomenon all my life and have heard many similar experiences from others. For a longest time, I have […]
Our brain is well protected by a barrier termed the “blood-brain barrier (BBB).” The blood–brain barrier is a highly selective permeability barrier that separates the circulating blood from the brain extracellular fluid (BECF) in the central nervous system (CNS). The stuff that can pass through the blood-brain barrier are highly selective including water, some gases, lipid […]